CANDIDATE HANDBOOK

www.amanet.org/cpm

AMA CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALIN MANAGEMENT

™

©Copyright 2020 American Management Association International.

All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,

or transmitted in whole or part, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,

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Published by American Management Association

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www.amanet.org

DISCLAIMER

AMA disclaims and makes no guarantee or warranty, that the information in this document

will fulfill any of your purposes or needs. AMA does not undertake to guarantee the

performance of any individual by virtue of this guide.

AMA, AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, and the AMA logo are trademarks

of American Management Association International. All third-party trademarks referenced

herein are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification purposes.

Use of such third-party trademarks does not represent any endorsement or recommendation

by their respective owners.

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Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

How to Use the Candidate Handbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Important Dates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Fees* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

About the Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Eligibility Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Prepare for the Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Apply for the AMA-CPM™ Credential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Schedule, Pay For or Cancel the Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

At the PSI Test Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

After Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Using the AMA-CPM™ Credential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Path to Maintaining the Credential (Recertification) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Contacting AMA Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Appendix A: AMA Standard in Management™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Appendix B: Test Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Appendix C: Recommended Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Appendix D: AMA Certified Professional in Management™ Code of Ethics and Conduct . . . . . 25

Appendix E: Practice Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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PrefaceAmerican Management Association International (AMA) has created eligibility requirements; a fair, valid and reliable examination; and ongoing maintenance of recertification requirements through which candidates can demonstrate their management competencies. Further, certification and recertification are contingent upon adherence to a Code of Ethics and Conduct.

The AMA Certified Professional in Management™ (AMA-CPM™) designation is a tool that will allow organizations to recognize those with managerial competence and leadership potential. The AMA-CPM credential embodies the critical knowledge, skills and abilities aligned with AMA’s Standard in Management™ (Appendix A).

Those who attain the AMA-CPM credential communicate that they have met the credential’s standards and bring value to business and industry, employers and supervisors, other professionals and the public. Attaining the credential may give them a competitive edge over other colleagues and applicants for the same job.

Managers with the AMA-CPM will be able to show current and future employers that they have met a standard that exemplifies critical knowledge, skills and abilities needed for professional managers—including in areas related to professional effectiveness, relationship management, business acumen and analytical intelligence.

How to Use the Candidate HandbookThe Candidate Handbook is designed to provide comprehensive information on how to apply for the AMA-CPM certification program. It covers eligibility requirements, information on how to apply and prepare for the examination, what to expect at the test center and after the examination is taken, and requirements related to the maintenance of the certification. It is incumbent upon all applicants and candidates to read and become familiar with the Candidate Handbook, as these are the policies and procedures that will guide them along the path to achieve their AMA Certified Professional in Management™ (AMA-CPM™) credential.

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Important DatesApplication Opens February 10, 2020

Examination Registration/Scheduler opens March 9, 2020

Testing Window 1 May 11-29, 2020 (extended to June 30, 2020)

Testing Window 2 Nov. 2-20, 2020

Testing Window 3 Feb. 1-19, 2021

TBA for future test session

Fees*Application $50 USD—Non-refundable (valid for one year

from the date of approval)

Certification Examination $450 USD

Re-test $350 USD

Recertification $100 USD

Recertification Late Fee $150 USD —If the recertification deadline is missed, a 4-week grace period is available at a fee of $150 USD. Failure to recertify within the grace period will result in the certification’s expiration, and candidates will need to reapply for the credential.

Certificate Reprint Fee $35 USD (first certificate is free)

Refund of Examination Fee Full $450 USD for first examination attempt or $350 USD for second and third examination attempts if outside the 24-hour period before test appointment. (See Schedule, Pay or Cancel)

Practice Examination $25 USD

*Credit card payment is the only acceptable form of payment.

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About the ExaminationThe examination content is based on the test specifications (Appendix B). The test specifications (also known as content outline) for the examination are a result of a comprehensive job-task (practice) analysis conducted to validate the key competencies required of managers, including the key tasks performed and the knowledge required by managers in multiple industries.

The examination content is distributed as follows:

Domain % of Examination

Professional Effectiveness Communication

25%Emotional Intelligence

Presentation Skills

Relationship Management Conflict Management

35%

Motivation

Collaboration

Influence

Delegation

Coaching for Performance

Managing Change

Business Acumen Managing Projects

25%Financial Acumen

Customer Focus

Talent Management

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The examination is comprised of 175 single response, multiple choice questions designed to assess the candidate’s knowledge and skills in performing managerial tasks. Questions are written at one of three cognitive levels:

• Knowledge/recall: These questions require remembering previously learned material and focus on definitions and recalling facts

• Interpretation: These questions require application of and extrapolation from an established theory, technique or principle

• Problem solving and evaluation: These questions require providing a solution to a problem

Of the 175 questions, 150 are scored and 25 are unscored. The questions that are unscored are trial questions placed on the examination in random order. Performance data gathered on the trial questions will determine if the questions will be used as scored questions in future examinations.

The examination is computer-based and delivered at any PSI test center. The timing of the test appointment is divided into 3 sections:

• 10-minute tutorial

• 3.5-hour test

• 10-minute required exit survey

Eligibility RequirementsTo satisfy the requirements of our certification mission, AMA has created eligibility requirements; a fair, valid and reliable examination; and ongoing maintenance of recertification requirements, through which candidates can demonstrate their management competencies. Eligibility requirements must be met in order to take the examination.

There are multiple pathways to eligibility, each of which is based on education and professional experience:

Pathway Education Minimum Professional Experience

1 High school diploma or GEDEquivalent of 5 years minimum of full-time professional experience (10,000 hours)

2 2-year degreeEquivalent of 3 years minimum of full-time professional experience (6,000 hours)

3 4-year degree (or more)Equivalent of 1 year minimum of full-time professional experience (2,000 hours)

Analytical IntelligenceCritical Thinking

15%Managing and Mastering Data

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Professional Experience must include at least one of the following elements:

• Serving as an active contributing team member

• Serving as a team lead

• Having responsibility for organizing other team members

• Driving and motivating team members

• Acting as an influencer or “go-to” person without title authority

• Managing one or more direct reports, with or without title authority

• Possessing functional or technical expertise

Years of professional experience need not be continuous.

Prepare for the ExaminationIn order to prepare for the certification examination, we recommend that applicants:

• Become familiar with the contents of this Candidate Handbook, the AMA Standard in Management™ (Appendix A) and the test specifications (Appendix B)

• Study from the recommended resources (Appendix C)

• Review the practice items (Appendix E)

• Take a practice examination

Candidates may also find it helpful to enroll in a Certified Professional in Management training course or take courses aligned to the competencies listed in the AMA Standard in Management™ (Appendix A). For more information on seminars and courses, please visit amanet.org.

NOTE: Taking the AMA-CPM™ training course is not a condition of taking or passing the examination.

Apply for the AMA-CPM™ CredentialApplicants who meet the eligibility requirements will use the candidate management system (CMS) portal to create an account and apply for the credential. In order to complete an application, applicants will need to answer all questions on the application, upload a copy of their resume, electronically sign the Code of Ethics and Conduct (presented in Appendix D for informational purposes) and pay the $50 USD non-refundable application fee. Questions relating to education and work experience must match the information provided in your resume.

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All submitted applications will be reviewed after the non-refundable application fee has been received. Applicants should allow 10 business days to receive notification on the status of an application once it has been completed.

By submitting an application, applicants recognize that AMA has the right to audit any and all information that they have provided. If any information is not correct, the application will not be approved.

Should an application be audited, the following information will be required:

• Applicant’s most recent high school diploma, GED or college diploma (undergraduate or graduate)

• Employment verification (you need not list all work experience that appears on your resume but you must list enough work experience hours that add up to the minimum number of hours needed for the eligibility pathway chosen)

• Supervisor recommendation (this need not be your most current supervisor)

Applications determined to be incomplete will be returned to the applicant for further action. Applicants whose applications have not passed the audit will have the opportunity to appeal the decision and remediate any issues preventing the application from being approved. Applications that are incomplete or that have not passed the audit and have been inactive will be closed 6 months after the application was submitted.

Schedule, Pay For or Cancel the ExaminationOnce approved, candidates will receive an authorization to test email from the CMS. The authorization to test email will provide instructions on how to schedule and pay for the examination.

Candidates have 12 months to schedule and sit for their credentialing examination. This is called an eligibility period. If a candidate does not pass the credentialing examination, they will have two more chances, within their eligibility period, to pay for and schedule a re-test appointment. If a candidate has not tested within their eligibility period, their eligibility to schedule and take the examination expires, and all fees are forfeited.

AMA has engaged with PSI for administration of the credentialing examination. Candidates will be able to choose the PSI test center and appointment time that is convenient for them once they receive their authorization to test email and are ready to schedule their examination.

If an appointment is available, candidates are free to schedule their examination up to 24 hours prior to their desired test session.

After candidates schedule and pay for their examination, they will receive a candidate appointment confirmation notice via email from PSI. They should print the candidate appointment confirmation notice and bring it with them to the PSI test center.

If the candidate appointment confirmation notice is not received within 24 hours, please amacpm@amanet.org for assistance.

Candidates can reschedule or cancel their examinations at no cost if the examination is rescheduled or cancelled more than 24 hours prior to the scheduled examination appointment and before 3:00 pm Pacific time. Rescheduling or cancelling an examination appointment can be done online by clicking here and logging into their AMA-CPM account.

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For candidates who cancel their examination more than 24 hours prior to the scheduled examination appointment and before 3:00 pm Pacific time and request a refund, the appropriate examination fee will be returned. Failure to provide 24 hours’ notice before 3:00 pm Pacific time will result in the candidate forfeiting the applicable testing fee and examination opportunity. For example, if a candidate has 3 attempts to test and forfeits their first attempt, the candidate has only 2 more attempts to test.

When an examination appointment is rescheduled or cancelled, a new confirmation letter will be issued by PSI. If a candidate does not receive the new confirmation letter within 24 hours, they should contact amacpm@amanet.org for assistance.

Candidates who do not show up for their scheduled examination appointment due to extenuating circumstances must submit an email within 14 days of the missed examination appointment to amacpm@amanet.org and provide proof of the extenuating circumstance.

Examples of extenuating circumstances and required proof include:

• Medical emergency—doctor’s note

• Death in immediate family—death certificate

• Traffic accident—police report

• Natural disaster—news report

At the PSI Test CenterCandidates must arrive at the PSI test center at least 30 minutes before the scheduled examination time and allow 4 hours to complete the tutorial, examination and exit survey.

Candidates MUST bring the following items with them to their scheduled appointment:

• Candidate appointment confirmation notice letter

• ONE form of identification. All identification presented must exactly match the name on the confirmation email, be current or unexpired, and contain a photo and signature.

Acceptable forms of identification include: driver’s license, state identity card (non-driver license), passport, passport card, military ID, green card, alien registration, permanent resident card or national identification card.

Candidates will not be able to bring personal belongings such as watches, hats, coats, purses, backpacks, cell phones, pagers, calculators, reference materials, notes, pens, paper, tissues, etc., into the testing area.

The test center administrator will provide candidates resources such as paper (or white board), pencils, tissues, etc., as necessary, and a calculator is embedded into the examination.

Should a candidate be found in possession of prohibited materials or attempting to cheat or fraudulently test for another individual, the candidate will be dismissed immediately from the test and a report will be filed by the test center administrator and submitted to AMA.

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Those who require Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations will have an opportunity to request necessary ADA accommodations through the candidate management system (CMS) portal at the time the application is being completed. Candidates who request ADA accommodations must provide the name and email address of the primary medical specialist who will submit the electronic ADA request form.

ADA accommodations include:

• Wheelchair accessible test center

• Personal reader

• Scribe

• Distraction free room

• Extended time: + 50%

• Extended time: + 100%

After TestingAt the conclusion of the examination, the candidate will receive printed information from the test center administrator. For the first testing window, this information will be an acknowledgment of completing their examination and information on when examination results will be delivered. Pass/fail results and feedback will be reported to candidates approximately 6-8 weeks following the close of the testing window.

During subsequent testing windows, pass/fail test results and feedback will be presented on screen at the end of the examination and will be available through candidates’ accounts on the CMS portal. Candidates who pass the examination will receive their certificate in the mail.

Upon payment of applicable fees, candidates have up to 3 chances to pass the examination during their eligibility period but can only take the examination one time within a given testing window.

Using the AMA-CPM™ CredentialEarning the AMA-CPM credential is an important professional milestone. Those who attain the AMA-CPM credential are given the authority to place “AMA Certified Professional in Management™” or “AMA-CPM™” after their names on business cards, resumes and signatures. Credential holders will also be sent a link to a time-limited, digital representation of the credential that can be used on email signatures, digital resumes and social media profiles.

When using the credential, please note the following permissible formats:

Jane Doe, AMA Certified Professional in Management™

Jane Doe, AMA-CPM™

Anyone who knows of or suspects others who are using the AMA Certified Professional in Management™ or AMA-CPM™ designation without authorization should contact amacpm@amanet.org, providing as much information as possible, including any images, so that the matter can be investigated.

Those who are found to be using the designation without authority will not be allowed to attain the credential, and AMA reserves the right to take such actions as it deems appropriate.

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Path to Maintaining the Credential (Recertification)In order to remain an AMA-CPM™ in good standing, it is necessary to recertify every 3 years. During the 3-year recertification period, credential holders must accumulate 60 Professional Management Units (PMUs) through activities such as education and advancing the profession. Credential holders will track PMUs directly in their CMS account.

If, during the 3-year recertification period a total of 60 PMUs have not been submitted, the AMA-CPM credential will expire.

There are multiple paths in which to accumulate PMUs:

Path Maximum Number of PMUs Short List of Examples

Education No maximumFormal: classroom or seminar Informal: books, lunch and learns, teaching

Work 8 PMUs Team leader, influencer, manager

Volunteering 20 PMUs

AMA-CPM Certification Steering Committee member, AMA-CPM Advisory Board member, AMA-CPM subject matter expert for examination development

More details on the multiple paths to accumulate PMUs can be found online and in the AMA-CPM™ Recertification Handbook.

NOTE: 1 hour = 1 PMU

Contacting AMA CertificationPlease feel free to contact AMA Certification to:

Request a name change on an official certificate

Please email amacpm@amanet.org with the request. Please include a notarized certified copy of the order to change a name from the issuing court.

Challenge a test item* Please email amacpm@amanet.org within 3 days after the examination event. Please include the following information in the email:

• Candidate’s name

• Date and time of examination

• Detailed information on the test item and specific reasons for the challenge

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Report a test center issue If a candidate feels that the environment of the test center impeded the ability to test, please report the issue immediately to the test center administrator and ask the test center administrator for a test center complaint report ID. Email amacpm@amanet.org within 3 days after the examination event with the following information:

• Candidate’s name

• Date, location and time of the test

• Description of problem

• Test center complaint report ID

Report fraud, misconduct, misrepresentation, ethics violations and examination cheating

Please email amacpm@amanet.org as soon as possible. Please include the following information in the email:

• Candidate’s name

• Issue (i.e., candidate witnessed cheating or fraudulent use of the AMA-CPM™ designation or badge)

• Any supporting documentation

Appeal application or recertification status

Please email amacpm@amanet.org within 10 days of receipt of your status notification. Please provide information that will support your application or recertification status and include a phone number in case we need to contact you.

Request eligibility period extension or 4-week grace period to the recertification deadline

In some cases, like illness or military deployment, the eligibility or recertification period may be extended.

Please email amacpm@amanet.org and include the following information in the email:

• Candidate’s name

• CMS account number

• Any supporting documentation detailing the reason for an extension

*If a scored test item is confirmed to be unfair, the item will be reverted to unscored.

If an unscored item is confirmed to be unfair, no further action regarding a candidate’s pass/fail status will be taken.

Please note: No examination will be hand-scored.

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APPENDIX

Appendix A: AMA Standard in Management™ PROFESSIONAL EFFECTIVENESSProfessional effectiveness is the mastery of personal awareness and interpersonal skills, which enables individuals to manage themselves and communicate their brand and message.

Communication:

• Understand the elements of communication that transcend communication channels or situations.

• Apply communication skills in managing team performance, member satisfaction and innovation.

• Develop shared understanding of team’s goals using various communication strategies.

• Deliver clear messages related to team and organizational vision, goals and expectations.

• Manage emotionally charged communications through the use of strategies and techniques to minimize defensiveness and resistance.

• Identify verbal communication approaches to meet the needs and expectations of different audiences (for example, when delivering feedback to direct reports, contributing at meetings with the C-suite, etc.).

• Create clear and concise written communications in the form and manner best suited to the type of message and intended audience.

• Facilitate open conversations among supervisors, peers and direct reports.

Emotional Intelligence:

• Manage their own emotions as well as others’; handle emotionally charged situations effectively and with empathy.

• Promote a clear message of expectations, goals and vision; approach situations with clarity and purpose; are able have critical conversations.

• Confidently plan, develop and deliver clear and impactful presentations; demonstrate confidence; create an engaging environment for the audience.

• Successfully manage relationships with other stakeholders.

• Create a motivational climate through delegation and collaboration.

• Influence others to support an idea, agenda or direction; understand the other party’s perspective and address it.

• Build trust and credibility to successfully negotiate for desired outcomes.

• Foster a culture of teamwork and accountability; approach and resolve conflict in a direct and purposeful manner.

• Monitor employee performance through ongoing feedback, coaching and goal setting; lead team through change.

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Presentation Skills:

• Identify a clear purpose for a presentation.

• Select the appropriate audience for a presentation.

• Design and prepare a presentation flow, visuals and supporting materials that consider the audience needs, modality and intended outcomes.

• Deliver an engaging presentation, using appropriate technology and tools, that achieves its intended purpose and enhances credibility.

• Apply communication, emotional intelligence and influencing skills during a presentation to achieve the intended purpose.

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENTRelationship management is the ability to establish and maintain professional relationships in order to support strategic goals and a culture of trust and collaboration.

Conflict Management:

• Model how to manage conflict by establishing a learning environment that encourages discourse.

• Encourage healthy debate among differing opinions.

• Identify underlying causes of conflict and address any incivility and bullying at work.

• Identify approaches for developing flexible responses to personal and professional conflicts.

• Use various models, techniques, strategies and approaches to manage interpersonal communication behaviors in conflict situations.

• Implement flexible strategies to improve communication and to effectively respond to conflict.

• Create a productive relationship with human resources within the organization.

Motivation:

• Identify internal and external motivators and their impacts on individuals, teams, and the organization.

• Determine how to align individual’s needs to their role.

• Understand style differences, strengths, weaknesses and strategies around how to co-create a motivational plan with each employee.

• Create and implement a communication plan for motivation.

• Participate in employee engagement surveys and be invested in the results.

Collaboration:

• Use the collaboration process in everyday work.

• Identify roles and responsibilities that guide collaboration and where there can be ambiguity or conflict.

• Create a foundation of collaboration that includes accountability and trust.

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• Find a balance between assertion and cooperation and know which situations to use them in.

• Seek feedback from employees and teams as a key collaboration point.

Influence:

• Identify and articulate a successful outcome and others’ needs in order to create a shared vision and develop buy-in.

• Understand what can be accomplished with the cooperation and support of all stakeholders.

• Develop the credibility and trust required to leverage personal power and negotiate for desired outcomes.

• Gain commitment from other parties and demonstrate willingness to incorporate input from others.

• Influence strategies created by gathering data, identifying the people involved, and positioning rationale effectively

• Build relationships and partnerships that result in mutual cooperation through trust, credibility and communication.

Delegation:

• Understand the function and purpose of delegation as well as the potential benefits and barriers of effective delegation.

• Create a culture that supports delegation.

• Determine what tasks can and can’t be delegated.

• Facilitate the process of conducting a delegation discussion.

• Recognize the importance of tailoring methods and style to meet the needs of the employee.

• Monitor the delegation process to maintain control and support without micro-managing the employee.

• Debrief the delegation process with the employee and close out a completed assignment.

• Identify the challenges of delegating with a virtual workforce or remote employees.

Coaching for Performance:

• Assess employee performance and work with employees to develop clear criteria so they can objectively assess their own performance.

• Work with employees to help them identify and commit to specific, measurable and realistic goals.

• Present feedback to employees on behaviors and performance, empower them to collect and analyze feedback from their colleagues and other stakeholders, and use active listening techniques to empathize with and demonstrate understanding of their point of view.

• Guide employees to develop a plan for their development and growth, aligning performance goals to organizational goals.

• Manage emotions by keeping a calm tone and engaging in open discussion, and support employees in tolerating their own emotions even when challenging and unpleasant.

• Hold employees accountable for achieving their performance goals, address performance problems in a timely and fair fashion, and encourage employees to hold themselves accountable and proactively seek help when at risk of falling short.

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Managing Change:

• Collect information about the change’s drivers and anticipated value.

• Identify the ways in which the change will affect your team, identifying benefits as well as technical and emotional barriers.

• Share information about the change, including its impacts.

• Express confidence and support in individuals’ and the team’s ability to be successful with the change.

• Establish ongoing two-way communication, seeking and listening to team members’ concerns and potential solutions and sharing new information and results.

• Effectively apply communication, emotional intelligence, conflict management, motivation, collaboration and influencing skills to manage resistance and promote a successful change implementation.

BUSINESS ACUMENBusiness acumen is the understanding of business operations at the financial, functional and strategic levels, while maintaining a customer-focused approach.

Managing Projects:

• Understand the basic project management skills a business manager will need.

• Plan the work required to complete a project.

• Document many project artifacts to enable success, including project plans, budgets, risks and assumptions.

• Identify, analyze and manage stakeholder expectations.

Financial Acumen:

• Identify the key financial drivers of the business as well as the manager’s contributions to the overall success of the business.

• Identify financial conditions that impact the team’s budget, operations and functions to create processes for budgeting and forecasting.

• Analyze financial data to identify trends and issues that are important to the business and interpret the results to make decisions and/or recommendations.

• Summarize financial data and present in a clear and comprehensible format.

• Plan and develop a budget strategy to support organizational goals based on financial data, previous performance and forecasting.

Customer Focus:

• Understand the purpose and practice of customer-focused decision making.

• Identify methods to listen to customers’ needs and feedback.

• Recognize methods to design customer-centric experiences and reduce customer hassle

• Develop methods to address customer exceptions and personalization.

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• Develop ideas to inspire, coach and empower employees to own customer experiences and deliver superior experience in every interaction.

• Recognize the importance and role of the internal customer as part of the external customer experience delivery.

Talent Management:

• Identify and practice the steps involved in talent acquisition as well as the advantage of asking open-ended interview questions.

• Understand what the S.T.A.R. method is and why it is important.

• Recognize the importance of talent alignment and how to go about aligning employees to their roles and responsibilities.

• Establish the most and least effective ways to share feedback with employees.

• Understand how to create and implement a successful succession plan.

• Recognized how to remain consistent when measuring talent and performance.

• Identify the different kinds of workplace harassment and what the manager’s role is in intervening.

ANALYTICAL INTELLIGENCEAnalytical intelligence is the application of systematic thinking, analysis and data interpretation to support organizational objectives.

Critical Thinking:

• Employ the 3 bundles of critical thinking skills: being alert to cognitive biases, assessing persuasion techniques, and recognizing faulty reasoning when drawing conclusions.

• Recognize the importance of self-awareness for critical thinking.

• Be familiar with techniques useful for identifying specific biases.

• Identify specific patterns of weak arguments and persuasion techniques.

• Correct faulty reasoning that leads to mistaken or irrelevant conclusions.

• Craft scenarios to anticipate how critical thinking skills may inform specific work situations.

Managing and Mastering Data:

• Understand how to frame a business question and what language to use to build it.

• Identify the variables and data sources and extract and organize the data.

• Analyze and interpret the results and communicate to the stakeholders and act on the results.

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Appendix B: Test SpecificationsCode Domain, Competency and Task % of exam

01 Professional Effectiveness 25%01.01 Communication 01.01.01 Develop shared understanding of team goals using various communication strategies (for

example, open-ended and targeted questions, individual discussions, or small- and large-group guided discussions).

01.01.02 Deliver clear messages related to organizational vision and team goals and expectations.

01.01.03 Manage emotionally charged communication by employing strategies and techniques to minimize defensiveness and resistance.

01.01.04 Tailor verbal communication to meet the needs and expectations of different audiences (for example, direct reports, peers, supervisors, C-suite).

01.01.05 Deliver clear and concise written communication in the form and manner best suited to the type of message and intended audience.

01.01.06 Facilitate open conversations among supervisors, peers and direct reports.

01.02 Emotional Intelligence

01.02.01 Develop self-awareness of personal emotional state in order to interact with others in a professionally appropriate manner.

01.02.02 Develop strategies to support self-control and manage emotions in a calm and clear manner.

01.02.03 Recognize others’ emotional states through observation of nonverbal cues, body language, tone and behavior.

01.02.04 Engage in empathetic listening and ask questions in order to understand others’ motivations.

01.02.05 Minimize conflict and improve interactions by using strategies such as active listening, asking questions for clarification.

01.03 Presentation Skills

01.03.01 Prepare for presentations by identifying key and relevant content to deliver targeted information and a clear message.

01.03.02 Plan, develop and deliver clear, impactful presentations, using text, graphics and data.

01.03.03 Anticipate possible questions and concerns that may arise during a presentation, and prepare points of discussion to address them.

01.03.04 Interact with the audience by asking questions to increase engagement and understanding.

01.03.05 Assess characteristics of the audience, such as their role, how content relates to them, or their level of receptiveness.

01.03.06 Tailor and adapt message and delivery based on audience characteristics and circumstances surrounding the presentation.

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02 Relationship Management 35%02.01 Conflict Management 02.01.01 Identify issues (for example, systemic, personality differences, differences in work or

management styles) that cause various types of conflicts.

02.01.02 Manage conflict as it occurs by assessing the severity of the situation and developing an understanding of the causes of the conflict.

02.01.03 Explore options for a resolution by including all affected parties and listening to different perspectives.

02.01.04 Communicate the solution by explaining the rationale and discussing the benefits and expectations for each party.

02.01.05 Coach others on how to resolve conflict in a constructive manner.

02.01.06 Develop a plan to resolve issues that have led to conflicts, involving all parties in identifying causes and solutions to ensure buy-in to proposed resolutions.

02.02 Motivation 02.02.01 Assess team members’ styles or drivers to identify internal and external motivators.

02.02.02 Align goals and expectations to motivators to maximize opportunities for success while setting a high standard of performance.

02.02.03 Develop a motivational plan that appeals to others’ unique needs, motives and goals.

02.02.04 Recognize, reward and reinforce positive behaviors and opportunities for development.

02.02.05 Model excellence, enthusiasm and commitment to the organization and the work.

02.03 Collaboration 02.03.01 Foster a culture of accountability within the team by defining objectives and goals,

documenting the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, and sharing credit for successes with others.

02.03.02 Create shared understanding of behavioral expectations for team members, such as open communication and respect, to enhance commitment to the team.

02.03.03 Assess strengths and weaknesses of team members to enhance efficiency by capitalizing on complementary skills.

02.03.04 Evaluate team dynamics by assessing team members’ work, environment and personalities to create opportunities for successful collaboration.

02.03.05 Encourage cooperation and teamwork among people who depend on each other to get work done.

02.04 Influencing 02.04.01 Create a shared vision and develop buy-in by clearly articulating intended outcomes,

identifying other parties’ needs and motivations, and incorporating input from others.

02.04.02 Describe a clear and compelling vision of what can be accomplished with all stakeholders’ cooperation and support.

02.04.03 Build relationships and partnerships that result in mutual cooperation through trust, credibility and communication.

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02.04.04 Tailor influencing strategies and tactics in order to achieve desired outcomes.

02.04.05 Negotiate for desired outcomes by leveraging understanding of self and others.

02.05 Delegation 02.05.01 Determine tasks to be delegated and align skills to available resources.

02.05.02 Give clear instructions and ensure that team members have all necessary information, requirements and resources; understand the timelines needed to complete delegated responsibilities.

02.05.03 Manage own and team members’ time by prioritizing activities and ensuring resources are allocated appropriately.

02.05.04 Adapt approach to delegation based on individuals’ motivations and behavioral styles.

02.05.05 Provide ongoing coaching and support without micro-managing delegated assignments.

02.05.06 Debrief delegated tasks and projects to identify key learnings and provide positive and constructive feedback as appropriate.

02.06 Coaching for Performance 02.06.01 Objectively assess employee performance and provide effective ongoing coaching and

feedback.

02.06.02 Set specific, measurable and realistic goals and communicate expectations.

02.06.03 Engage in regular performance-related discussions focused on behaviors and outcomes, using active listening techniques to understand the other party’s perspective.

02.06.04 Develop a plan for improvement and growth, aligning performance goals to organizational goals.

02.06.05 Hold others accountable for achieving their performance goals and address performance problems in a timely and fair manner by clearly defining where expectations are not being met.

02.07 Managing Change 02.07.01 Evaluate and address the culture of the organization or group to assess readiness to

change, and identify potential roadblocks.

02.07.02 Define clear targets and milestones for change efforts and gain team member support and commitment to implementing change.

02.07.03 Prepare and support team members to adopt change in order to drive organizational outcomes and success.

02.07.04 Communicate the case for changes, including the rationale and potential benefits of changes, the organizational strategy and the proposed action plan.

02.07.05 Provide clear, timely and accurate information about changes on an ongoing basis.

02.07.06 Manage resistance to change by seeking feedback, acknowledging doubts and hesitance, and addressing specific concerns.

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03 Business Acumen 25%03.01 Managing Projects 03.01.01 Develop, interpret and understand requirements for project planning by identifying and

obtaining input from key stakeholders.

03.01.02 Manage change and scope creep throughout the project while adjusting timeline and managing expectations.

03.01.03 Create a collaborative environment with the project team and key stakeholders to address responsibilities, concerns and changes.

03.01.04 Use persuasion techniques to gain buy-in and commitment from stakeholders.

03.01.05 Address challenges in project stakeholder relationships to defuse conflict and promote positive interactions.

03.02 Financial Acumen 03.02.01 Identify the key financial drivers of the business as well as the manager’s contributions to

the overall success of the business.

03.02.02 Identify financial conditions that impact the team’s budget, operations and functions to create processes for budgeting and forecasting.

03.02.03 Analyze financial data to identify trends and issues that are important to the business, and interpret the results to support decision-making.

03.02.04 Summarize financial data and present it in a clear and comprehensible format.

03.02.05 Plan and develop a budget strategy, based on financial data, previous performance and forecasting, to support organizational goals.

03.03 Customer Focus 03.03.01 Develop and improve processes that support superior customer experience by collecting

feedback from customers and identifying needs, expectations and satisfaction.

03.03.02 Develop a culture of accountability by emphasizing the importance of customer service for organizational success.

03.03.03 Provide guidelines, tools and training for handling customer issues.

03.03.04 Develop and apply metrics to measure value and impact of customer focus initiatives.

03.03.05 Model desired behavior with customers through actions, discussions and professional development.

03.03.06 Foster a culture of empowerment by acknowledging and reinforcing customer-focused behaviors.

03.04 Talent Management 03.04.01 Align potential and current talent to organizational goals through recruitment,

development of skills, and motivation.

03.04.02 Enhance employee performance by assessing skill gaps and providing coaching and support for development.

03.04.03 Foster an environment that champions diversity, inclusion and respect by acknowledging and embracing differences and encouraging open lines of communication.

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03.04.04 Review and adhere to federal and state laws related to employment.

03.04.05 Encourage individual and team engagement through effective onboarding, alignment to company goals, and acknowledgment.

03.04.06 Identify situations that require escalation to other parties (e.g., human resources, ethics hotline, board of directors).

04 Analytical Intelligence 15%04.01 Critical Thinking 04.01.01 Identify trends in the industry or marketplace and develop plans to prepare for

opportunities or avoid problems.

04.01.02 Challenge established thinking, processes and procedures to identify improvements in methods and potential solutions.

04.01.03 Draw evidence-based conclusions after examining data, researching multiple perspectives and evaluating arguments.

04.01.04 Recognize own biases in order to accurately evaluate arguments.

04.01.05 Maintain an objective viewpoint in order to make reasoned, complex decisions.

04.01.06 Use appropriate tools, resources and expertise to develop the best solution to a given problem or situation.

04.01.07 Translate abstract ideas into tangible results and actions that can be understood and viably considered.

04.02 Managing and Mastering Data 04.02.01 Synthesize and summarize quantitative and qualitative information from multiple sources.

04.02.02 Recognize trends and patterns and make business recommendations based on data analysis.

04.02.03 Structure and present information in multiple formats and modalities to support a business decision or recommendation.

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Appendix C: Recommended ResourcesThe scope of management is indeed broad. In addition to The Management Body of Knowledge, a committee of respected subject matter experts have selected resources that candidates may find useful for examination preparation. Although each of these resources may be applicable in multiple areas, they are especially helpful in the domains specified.

All Domains

American Management Association. (2019). The Management Body of Knowledge. New York, NY: AMA

Mason A. Carpenter, Talya Bauer, and Berrin Erdogan. (2010). Principles of Management. Boston, MA: FlatWorld

Domain I: Professional Effectiveness

Daniel Goleman. (2000). Working with Emotional Intelligence. New York, NY: Bantam

Richard G. Jones Jr. (2013). Communication in the Real World: An Introduction to Communication Studies. Boston, MA: FlatWorld

Scott McLean. (2010). Business Communication for Success. Boston, MA: FlatWorld

Domain II: Relationship Management

Dale Carnegie. (2009). How to Win Friends & Influence People. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster

Daniel H. Pink. (2011). Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us. New York, NY: Riverhead Books

Domain III: Business Acumen

Mauro Cavallone. (2017). Marketing and Customer Loyalty: The Extra Step Approach. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing

Diane F. Halpern. (2014). Thought and Knowledge: An Introduction to Critical Thinking. Fifth Edition. New York, NY: Psychology Press

David Spiceland, Wayne Thomas, and Don Herrmann. (2016). Financial Accounting, Fourth Edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill

Domain IV: Analytical Intelligence

Diane F. Halpern. (2014). Thought and Knowledge: An Introduction to Critical Thinking. Fifth Edition. New York, NY: Psychology Press

Harvard Business Review. (2018). HBR Guide to Data Analytics Basics for Managers (HBR Guide Series). Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press

Dona M. Wong. (2013). The Wall Street Journal Guide to Information Graphics: The Dos and Don’ts of Presenting Data, Facts, and Figures. New York, NY: Norton

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Appendix D: AMA Certified Professional in Management™ Code of Ethics and Conduct It is essential and expected that the standards of professional excellence always be maintained by all those who apply for or hold the AMA Certified Professional in Management™ (AMA-CPM™) credential. As such, all persons applying for or holding the AMA-CPM™ credential are expected and encouraged to uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct as a management professional and not engage in any conduct that adversely reflects on the fitness of the management professional to act in such capacity. Applicants and credential holders are also expected to support the mission and vision of the AMA-CPM™ program and to avoid any action or behavior that would bring embarrassment to themselves or AMA in connection with their professional activities.

All persons applying for or holding the AMA-CPM™ certification must maintain the standards of conduct below, exercising judgment and diligence in their performance of their professional duties. Specifically, they must:

1. Preserve the integrity of the AMA-CPM™ examination by:

a. providing truthful and accurate information on the application.

b. protecting the confidentiality of the test content and not sharing test content with others.

c. adhering to test security rules set forth by the test delivery vendor.

d. refraining from any behavior that can be construed as fraud, cheating or misconduct or from any action that would jeopardize the security for the AMA-CPM™ examination.

e. promptly reporting to AMA knowledge or evidence that raises a substantial question of cheating on or misuse of questions from an AMA-CPM™ examination or fraudulent use of an AMA-CPM™ credential.

2. Strictly adhere to AMA’s guidelines and policies regarding use of the AMA-CPM™ credential.

3. Avoid all conflicts of interest with respect to professional activities and duties.

4. Conduct themselves in their professional duties in accordance with applicable laws.

5. Report to AMA any adverse regulatory action, court judgment, conviction, guilty plea or no contest plea within 30 days of issuance, if the adverse action, judgment or conviction arises from conduct related to the individual’s professional duties.

AMA has the right to request and initiate an investigation to be conducted by an objective body if there is a suspicion that an applicant, candidate or credential holder is non-compliant with this Code of Ethics and Conduct. Further, AMA has the right to bar any applicant or candidate from attaining the AMA-CPM™ credential and to sanction, suspend or revoke the AMA-CPM™ credential from the credential holder in the event of non-compliance with the Code of Ethics and Conduct. Prior to such determination, notice of the alleged violation and an opportunity to respond will be provided to the applicant, candidate or credential holder.

This Code of Ethics and Conduct may be modified from time to time by AMA.

I pledge to adhere to this Code of Ethics and Conduct and will report violations of this code to AMACPM@amanet.org.

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Appendix E: Practice Questions1. When deciding how to delegate, it is MOST critical for a manager to:

A. Ensure that a delegated task will lead to a learning experience for the employee.

B. Assess each employee’s speed and efficiency as they relate to each task.

C. Consider which employee’s skills and temperament are best suited to each task.

D. Focus on freeing themselves from a task that could be performed by an employee.

2. A human resources manager has been asked to speak at a company-wide webinar about recently promoted employees. What is the FIRST step in preparing this presentation?

A. Choose format

B. Define purpose

C. Understand audience

D. Gather ideas

3. During a performance review, an employee who fails to see the logic or benefit of a manager’s feedback is likely to:

A. Pretend to be content and understand the issue while making intentional mistakes.

B. Make suggested improvements to demonstrate an attempt to appease the manager.

C. Ask the manager for new ways to improve work outcomes.

D. Complain to peers about the feedback and intentionally make no changes.

4. Two of your team members are arguing over the solution to an ongoing departmental problem. Which of the following is the BEST way to resolve this conflict?

A. Let each team member explain their idea, then select the option that you believe is most appropriate.

B. Serve as a mediator, with the goal of finding a solution that both team members can support.

C. Ask the other members of your team to vote on which idea should be implemented.

D. Let them resolve the problem on their own, as conflict resolution can be healthy.

5. Data points that do not fit the major trends of a data set are BEST described as:

A. Outliers that may affect results.

B. Data to be ignored as not fitting the model.

C. Obvious errors to be eliminated from the data set.

D. Incorrect assumptions used in building the model.

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6. Which activities would BEST help an HR team staff for future growth?

A. Begin an internship program with local colleges to create a talent pipeline.

B. Conduct staff interviews to determine job satisfaction and likelihood to remain with the company.

C. Perform an equity review and make salary and position adjustments based on the findings.

D. Gather data and analyze it for trends and insights to develop a data-driven staffing plan.

7. When communicating change that a manager has not initiated, such as relocating to new office space, the BEST approach of the manager is to:

A. Share the need for the change, the intended outcomes, and the timeline.

B. Justify the change and encourage people to have a positive attitude.

C. Rely on senior management to communicate the change to the organization.

D. Help the staff convey concerns to senior management.

8. Company XYZ reports these final numbers for the calendar year in dollars. Please read the balance sheet below.

Assets Liabilities and Owner’s Equity

Cash 45,744 Accounts Payable 10,866

Accounts Receivable 18,092 Long Term Debt 63,000

Inventory 4,602

Plant and Equipment 206,000 Common Stock 23,360

Retained Earnings 64,525

What is the working capital of the company?

A. $34,878

B. $79,324

C. $57,572

D. $68,438

9. A manager needs to have a discussion with a direct report about repeatedly arriving to work late, which is a problem disrupting the department. To minimize defensiveness and resistance, which of the following is the BEST communication strategy for the manager to use during this meeting?

A. Directness

B. Complexity

C. Self-awareness

D. Empathy

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10. A project manager has designated one member of the team to ensure that the output of the project meets all legal requirements. Which key stakeholder role is this member performing?

A. Beneficiary

B. Project manager

C. Resistor

D. Regulator

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Answers

1. C

2. B

3. D

4. B

5. A

6. D

7. A

8. C

9. D

10. D

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PrepareApply Get CertifiedBecome familiar with

The Management Body of Knowledge, use practice exams, or take a

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